I'm inclined to agree with GregM - Spirit's remaining time is probably best spent getting the widest survey of her environs as possible. From the TPS Update, the leading HP hypothesis, that most of the team agrees with, is that it's an "eroded down volcanic construct", such as a tuff cone. Would evidence of the ground water that helped create the HP tuff cone, if that's what it is, still be accessable here? If not, a return to HP in the spring may not be necessary.

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QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Mar 4 2006, 03:29 PM)

... and jvandriel's pan in polar form. The pattern of light and dark areas can be matched easily with the MOC view to locate the site on the route map.

Phil

In case you missed it, on MER's web site, the status as on march 3rd says :"During the coming week, Spirit will communicate with Earth in UHF-only mode while NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives at the red planet."Does it means we'll have less data coming down for a while ?

This image shows the path that I think Spirit might follow over the Winter and next Spring. Spirit will start the trek to the north-facing slopes of McCool Hill and investigate the various outcrops-- layered and massive-- along the way. The impact crater near the summit may show a good section. Depending on time and what is seen on the way up, she may or may not look at the top of the hill. As Winter passes and insolation increases, she will make her way down the Western slope of McCool Hill. Depending on the need to do additional work at Homeplate and Pitchers mound, she will work her way Southward toward the chaotic terrain ("Promised Land"??) working the outcrop or she will stop by the "Ballfield" on the way to PL.

I am inclined to think that another visit to the "Ballfield" will happen since this is good exposure of a volcanic construct close at hand.

Again, thanks to Alan for his much-used color image of the Inner Basin.

I hope they get to the top of McCool Hill. For the view, the geology, and, frankly, because it's there. I also think a return to Home Plate is in order. It's not even accurate to speak in terms of "return". The South and West sides of Home Plate have not even been seen, never mind visited. And Pitchers mound -- an even more intriguing feature than Home Plate in my view -- certainly deserves a closer look than the distant pancam shots taken so far.

Whatever they decide is fine with me though. To say I can't complain is a huge understatement.

I read that this week Spirit would need to send back data using its high gain antenna instead of the normal relay because MRO is arriving in Mars orbit. They may be breaking the sequences up so they can download the frames individually.

Spirit moved again on sol 772.Some navcam pics available at the exploratorium and, based on their seq. ids, correspond to that "home_plate_exit_5x1_3_bpp" shot.

Mmmm, is really this the exit?

(122k)

QUOTE (alan @ Mar 6 2006, 02:50 PM)

I read that this week Spirit would need to send back data using its high gain antenna instead of the normal relay because MRO is arriving in Mars orbit. They may be breaking the sequences up so they can download the frames individually.

Mmm, wasn't the communication restrictions a limitation to only use the UHF channel?In that case, the constraints would be on the direct uplink of commands to the rovers, which would have to be made via Odyssey.

I read that this week Spirit would need to send back data using its high gain antenna instead of the normal relay because MRO is arriving in Mars orbit. They may be breaking the sequences up so they can download the frames individually.

It's the other way around. UHF comms wouldnt get in the way of MRO - but DTE and DFE to the LGA or HGA have potential for cross talk with MRO.

The tracking site often mistakenly repeats sequence listings - the spacecraft can manage packatising the imagery itself, there's nothing specific required to do that.

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